10 AUGUST 1918
26424
MEMORANDUM FROM TSYURUPA

Automobiles have been sent to Smirnov.1 The delay occurred as a result of the Council of People's Commissars' decree transferring 100 automobiles from Komprod to the Military Commissariat. Smirnov replied to his note. Tomorrow I will inform him of the quantity and deadline for sending an additional 20 automobiles.

A. Tsyurupa

26424
LENIN'S NOTE

To Tsyurupa:

(1) This is an utter scandal, an outrageous scandal, that there is grain in Saratov and we cannot haul it!! Should we not send 1 or 2 food supply workers to each major junction station? What else can be done?

(2) Draft a decree—in each grain volost 25–30 hostages from the wealthy, answerable with their lives for the collection and delivery of all surplus.

(3) Order Popov2 urgently: volost requisition orders.
I.e., how much surplus grain [must] be in each volost?
How much must each one deliver?

LENIN'S NOTE

To Tsyurupa.

1) You did not answer regarding "hostages."
2) When will Popov finish his work? (He must be given a brief deadline).*

*On the reverse there is a note in an unknown hand: "25. Sent to Sviyazhsk. They asked us to tell you from the military commissariat (signature illegible)." —Ed.

20425
TSYURUPA'S REPLY

Hostages can be taken when there is real force behind it. And is there such force? Doubtful.

Popov can finish the work in the briefest possible time for the districts; as regards the volosts—I will clarify this and push the matter forward with full effort.

A. Tsyurupa

26425
LENIN'S NOTE

I propose not to take "hostages" but to appoint them by name in each volost:3

Purpose of the appointment: precisely the wealthy, as they answer for the requisition, answer with their lives for the immediate collection and delivery of surplus grain.

An instruction (appointing "hostages") is given to:

(a) the committees of the poor
(b) all food supply detachments.

Force? Precisely now in the near-front zone there will be force.

1 A. I. Smirnov—Deputy People's Commissar of Internal Affairs, plenipotentiary of the Central Executive Committee for the procurement and dispatch of grain and other food supplies in the Saratov Province region.

2 I. I. Popov—Chief of the Central Statistical Administration.

3 This formulation is repeated in the note by direct wire to E. Bosh in Penza (see p. 204).